Rode to Utica on Tuesday and upon rounding the corner off Reynolds Road, discovered the BP/Duke & Dutchess gas station is gone, to be replaced by a new and upgraded BP/Duke & Dutchess gas station. In the meantime, the gas station across the street is a good alternative.

Last week, a tree that has been standing for 350-400 years, on Granview Avenue that many of you have passed as you head towards or depart from Granville, was cut down. It has stood alongside Granview well before it was a stagecoach route from Chillicothe to Granville. A trenching of the ground to lay a cable in 1985 planted the seeds of its long decline. Some estimate it is the largest red oak in Licking County.

I wanted to catch the falling of it on video and turned on the charm with the guys, even getting an offer to give me wood for free but when it came time to make a cut half way up, they asked that I leave because, in there words, "There's no telling where that sh*t will fly when it hits the ground."

Of course, I came back to see what the inside looked like but other than at the base, the tree was still solid and as of today, they are still cutting and splitting what remains. Across the street, surrounded by smaller trees and somewhat hidden, is another red oak that appears to be in good shape and about of the same age.

Good to know what's open. I recently moved back to our old building, and sit next to someone who lives in Millersport near Buckeye lake. She says the Upper Deck Coffee shop is no more, and is up for sale. So now there is more opportunity to frequent either the ice cream place or the hot dog place!

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Spokey McValvehead

2/13/2013 06:19:20 am

There seems to be a lot more actual cycling articles at that "Other" blog site you spun off for the west coast. Sure they're tree-huggers out there but they seem to be doing more cycling and less writing about trees.

...and the writing is better!

Where have all the pictures of Cindy eating pancakes at the stops gone... the ladies of the Thursday night ride ...the quick witted jibs at Grand Poobah and his rapid decline into old-age and increasing need for depends adult diapers ...the discussions about all of Janet's short cutting with the Kendaites and the general musing about how you HAD to cut it short because OSU plays some 3rd rate MAC team that nobody has ever heard of that it's a given that they will crush them 123 - 3 ???

...ah... the good old days...

- Spokey McValvehead

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Mark

2/13/2013 07:09:29 am

Spokey,
You make very good points and I agree with them all. Of course, the pictures of which you speak follow actual bike rides and of course, actual bike rides are scarce for now. I promise, once we start riding regularly again, the blog will rise to the standards you expect, somewhere south of the "Other" blog and somewhere north of something worthy of printing and placing in the bottom of a bird cage.

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Mark is a long-time cyclist who enjoys poking fun at himself but most especially at his friends. No nicknames or comments are intended to offend, accept them in the humor they are intended.